Research Links and Discussion Questions for November 2020 Topics

Oct 19, 2020 | Ideas For Teachers

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: TikTok
WhiteHouse.gov: “Executive Order Addressing Threat Posed by TikTok”
Commerce.gov: “Commerce Department Prohibits WeChat TikTok Transactions” 
Sen. Ted Cruz: “Deal that Fails to Address National Security Concerns”
BusinessInsider.com: “TikTok Executive Says Company Has Faced Criticism”
Fox News: “Trump’s TikTok Download Ban Is Blocked by Judge”
cnn.com: “Trump Says He Will Ban TikTok”
Issue 2: Student Loan Debt
Congress.gov: S.2235 “Student Loan Debt Relief Act of 2019”
finaid.org: “Student Loan Debt Clock”
“Warren, Clyburn Introduce Legislation to Cancel Student Loan Debt”
Student Loan Debt Relief Act Fact Sheet
Forbes.com: “Will Trump Cancel Student Loans?”
Fox News: “Dems Propose Suspending Student Loan Payments Amid COVID”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: TikTok

  1. Read President Donald Trump’s “Executive Order Addressing Threat Posed by TikTok” (link above). Do you feel his action was justified? Why or why not?
  2. Do you feel TikTok poses a national security threat to Americans’ private data? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think of TikTok? Write an honest review. How does your point of view as a teenager influence your interpretation of it?
  4. What should be the federal government’s role in regulating social media? In this case, was the President overstepping his authority?
  5. Read TikTok’s statement on p. 3 of the newsletter. Do you feel satisfied with their assurances? Why or why not?

Issue 2: Student Loan Debt

  1. How do you think college debt is affecting our economy and community?
  2. What is an acceptable and reasonable amount of debt for college education?
  3. Even if students could get a quality, debt-free undergraduate education, what are the best ways to keep institutions at the graduate level, or private schools, from loading up students with unmanageable debt?
  4. Is it important to have a significant number of young people attend college, including young people that are going to require loans to afford college?
  5. How have the opportunities in the job market for someone with a degree changed in the last 10 to 50 years?